What Might've Been
by Spooky Spice
Summary: My take on the alluded-to reunion between Buffy and Angel after she came back from the dead.


Title: What Might've Been  
  
Author: Spooky Spice  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Spoilers: Set in between the Buffy episodes "Flooded" and "Life Serial" and the Angel episodes "Carpe Noctum" and "Fredless."  
  
Disclaimer: Yeah, not so much w/ the owning of the cultural icons. Buffy and Angel and all the rest belong to His UnHolyness, Joss Whedon.  
  
Summery: My take on the alluded-to reunion between Buffy and Angel after she came back from the dead.  
  
Feedback: Y'know, Christmas is coming... [wink] Send all brightly wrapped packages to spookyspice24@yahoo.com.  
  
Author's Notes: I wrote this way back when in HS. Way, way back. My senior year, maybe? This is the first time I've actually gotten to submit these stories!!! Enjoy!  
  
// signifies thoughts.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Angel!" Cordelia's voice interrupted the companionable silence between Angel and Fred. They both turned as Cordy raced out of the hotel lobby to the courtyard. "Willow's on the phone. She's alive! Buffy's alive!"  
  
Angel's eyes widened in shock and joy and he jumped up and followed Cordy into the hotel.  
  
Fred sat there in confusion. "Buffy?" she murmured.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
The phone rang.  
  
Buffy looked up and frowned. "Who would be calling? Everyone I know lives here." She got up and went to answer.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Buffy?" came the achingly familiar voice.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Buffy raced out of the kitchen, past Giles and shot towards the door.  
  
"Buffy?"  
  
"I-It's Angel," she said. "He knows. He knows about me. I have to see him."  
  
Giles blinked. "Of course. You'll leave for L.A. immediately."  
  
"No. Now," she said. "We're meeting in the middle. I have to go."  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
//Fighting Angelus by Acathla..//  
  
//Telling Angel she loved him, then sending him to Hell..//  
  
//Finally saying good-bye, and placing the claugdaugh he had given her on the floor..//  
//Nursing him back to health after he came back..//  
  
//Battling Gwendolyn Post, the rouge Watcher, and Faith..//  
  
//Angel drinking her, in a last-ditch effort to heal him from the poison..//  
  
//Declaring her independence from the Watcher's Council..//  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Buffy blinked, and snapped herself out of her reverie. Rubbing her arms at the chill in the air, she went to one of the windows and watched the sun set. //Soon, I hope.//  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Angel pulled to the curb by the mansion. And hesitated. He'd spent 3 months doing his best to move on after her death, and had made major headway.  
  
And now.  
  
Getting out of the car, he swallowed and prayed to whoever might be listening to give him strength. Then he went into the mansion.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Buffy turned towards the door, even before he had set foot on the steps. She knew he was there-was as sure as she had ever been. Somehow, that didn't surprise her at all.  
  
Then Angel walked in.  
  
He just stood there, a few steps in the door, watching her. As if seeing her again for the first time. "Buffy?" he whispered.  
  
Suddenly, it hit her-just how much she'd missed him. "Angel?"  
  
They both hesitated for a fraction of a second, then simultaneously ran at each other and met in the middle. They threw their arms around each other and hugged with equal strength.  
  
Then without thinking, Buffy lifted her head and kissed him. The last time they'd kissed was at her mother's funeral.  
  
As they kissed, they both started crying. Buffy broke for air, and looked into his dark eyes. "I missed you," she said without thinking.  
  
He smiled. "Missed you, too. When you. I just."  
  
Buffy hugged tighter, putting her head on his chest. They were silent for a while.  
  
Then Angel pulled back away from her slightly. "Buffy," he said. "I- I've spent the last three months trying to her over your death." his voice trailed off.  
  
"But?" she asked.  
  
He couldn't meet her eyes. "But, but I couldn't. I thought I was.but I'm not." He finally met her gaze. "I'm so happy you're back."  
  
Tears were in her eyes and she tried to smile, but it didn't work.  
  
Angel frowned. "What's wrong? Aren't you?"  
  
She couldn't lie to him. "It seems like Willow's convinced she and the others have brought me back from some hell dimension. And I've let her and everybody else think that." She fell silent.  
  
"But that's not true," Angel said softly. "Is it?" Silence. She didn't look at him, just stared at a point on the wall. "Buffy, where were you?"  
  
The only other person (so to speak) who knew was Spike. "I think I was in heaven." She didn't see Angel's stunned, sorrowful look. "I was happy, peaceful. And.and then I was ripped away. Now I'm here."  
  
Angel had no idea what to say. "I-I can't imagine-"  
  
"I know. I know," she whispered. She met his eyes. "Everything is so hard here. This is hell for me, Angel."  
  
He reached over and touched her cheek. "I'm sorry. Of course, that doesn't help at all-"  
  
"No," she cut him off. "Coming from you-it helps."  
  
They smiled. Angel's hand left her face and took her hand.  
  
"So now-I have to raise Dawn and get back to slaying." A thought dawned on her. "I wonder if there's another Slayer."  
  
Angel shrugged. "Don't know. I could try and find out for you."  
  
Buffy thought a minute. "No. I have too much to think about anyway."  
  
He nodded. More silence.  
  
"You should get back to L.A." Buffy told him, glancing at the window. "Before the sun rises."  
  
"Buffy, I can stay. For longer. If you need me," he offered.  
  
She was tempted, sorely tempted. But-"No, Angel. L.A. needs you. Sunnydale needs me."  
  
He nodded. "I'll visit, when I can. If you need me."  
  
She smiled-a smile he knew that was only reserved for him. "I'd like that."  
  
It hurt, saying good-bye yet again. Angel pulled her to him and hugged her as hard as he could. She hugged him back, trying not to cry.  
  
Before he let her go, he leaned down and gently kissed her. It brought Buffy back to a time when she was a high school junior and Angel was the love of her life. A simpler time.  
  
Angel pulled away. He kissed her forehead and let her go. He smiled tenderly at her. "Still my girl?"  
  
Buffy couldn't help it-she grinned. "Always." And it was true.  
  
They stared at each other for what seemed to be an eternity. Then Angel turned and walked away.  
  
Buffy waited until she heard the car pull away, then sank to the floor and cried.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Angel walked into the hotel, listening to Cordelia and Wesley's imitation of him. "Oh, Buffy-kiss me," Wesley said.  
  
"Bite me!" Cordy gasped overdramatically, to Fred and Gunn's amusement. Wesley mock-bit Cordy, and Angel decided to make his entrance.  
  
"And both of you can bite me," he said, annoyed. The two jumped apart guiltily.  
  
"Angel!" Cordy said. "You're back! How did it go with Buffy?"  
  
"It went," he answered. "Fred, you want to go get some ice cream?"  
  
"Yeah," she said, delighted.  
  
"Are you gonna tell us what happened, because the curiosity is gonna kill me!!!" Cordy begged.  
  
"Nope. C'mon, Fred." They turned and walked towards the door.  
  
"Great. Now we'll never know," Cordy muttered.  
  
Angel heard her. "That's right!"  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Buffy opened the door to her house, armed with chicken. "Hey, is anybody home?" She walked into the dining room. "Ok, who wants fried chicken parts?" She stopped when she saw Willow, Tara, Giles, and Dawn apparently finishing dinner. "You already ate."  
  
"No, I'll have some chicken," Tara said.  
  
"I'll take a leg," Dawn chimed in.  
  
"So will I," Giles agreed.  
  
"So, how did it go with Angel?" Willow asked.  
  
Buffy winced slightly, hating to lie, but not wanting to reveal all. "It was bad. I don't want to talk about it."  
  
Giles had a feeling she was lying, but didn't press it. "Of course, Buffy."  
  
She smiled gratefully, and joined into the chatter.  
  
The End 


End file.
